PASTORAL CHAT

My Dear Readers

TIME for Action!

First of all those of you who should register your membership as members of True Life B-P Church and have not yet done so are requested to do so henceforth. The reason is by law our Church must hold its ACM (Annual Congregational Meeting) on April 24 and your presence is required.

Also it is necessary to elect our Session. For a sure administration we should re-elect our elders and deacon coming from Life Church who agree with the pastor that we have a Bible without any mistakes and new members (deacons and deaconess). We must pray earnestly in making the right choice.

Far Eastern Bible College will be holding graduation on May 8 with our good friend Dr. Arthur Steele, founder of Clearwater Christian College, Clearwater, Florida coming to help us confer the Th.D (Doctor of Theology) degree on successful candidates, highest number 3. A very significant event not to be missed. May 9 to 10 the College will hold the annual camp at Mersing, Dr. Arthur Steele speaking.

A very important action to be taken by our church members, have you applied for leave to come to our Annual Bible Camp, June 7 – 10 to be held at Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing? Overflow registrants will reside at Timotel. The price is far cheaper than those who go to Bintan Island, for example. Dr. Jeffrey Khoo and I will speak on our B-P Faith that leads us to establish True Life B-P Church.

There is another occasion, the 54th Anniversary of Kelapa Sawit B-P Church, 43 miles north of Singapore in Johore that has requested me to speak because I was there with Miss Leona Wu to evangelise. As a result this became a Chinese Church jointly administered by Miss Wu and us. Now it is independent. For nearly 20 years it was under Miss Ng Sang Chiew and now under Mr Tee Chung Seng. The date of commemoration is April 17, 10 am. If you would like to come along please let me know early. No venture no gain!

Your affectionate pastor

T T

 

 

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter X

John 10:39-40
Is it cowardice to run?

We see in the remaining verses of this chapter our Lord becoming a fugitive again. Is it cowardice to run? Was it cowardice on Paul’s part to escape out of Damascus in a basket “let down by the wall”? It is not cowardice to run before one’s time is up. Our Lord “regarded death as going home” (to use a Chinese proverb) when He knew His time to die was nigh. So did the apostle Paul when at last he was taken to Rome. Before one’s appointed hour with God, there’s the injunction from our Lord to the Twelve, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another” (Matt 10:23).

For the location of His retreat, we have further light fromMatt 3:1, 13. In Matt 19:1 we have the fuller expression, “the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan”. Ellicott thinks this location is to the north of the Sea of Galilee on the eastern side of the River Jordan. This location is the Golan Heights taken by Israel from the Syrians, in the Six-Day War, 1967.

How long did He stay there? From the Feast of Dedication to Passover was a period of four months (December to April). In between there is the return to the Capital outskirts, to Bethany, for the raising of Lazarus, and a certain time spent in a city called Ephraim, “near to the wilderness” (Jn 11:54).

The old faithfuls, converted in the earlier days of His ministry, followed Him there. What a contrast with the rebellious Jews in Jerusalem. How it must have encouraged our Lord to see the Gospel flourishing in them despite the persecutors, and through them new ones drawn into the kingdom. The people, when comparing John the Baptist with Christ inferred Christ was more excellent because Christ’s miracles were so remarkable, whereas John did not perform any. They did however conclude that John worked no miracles for Christ’s sake, that He might be more highly esteemed (Calvin).

Christ’s retreat beyond Jordan was used of God to produce more fruit. It was no cowardice to run at this juncture of His life.

Chapter XI
To both dead and living believing Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life

Although this is the first time that Lazarus, Mary and Martha are mentioned in John, the two sisters are well known to us by Luke’s account (10:38–42). With Lazarus revealed here as one Jesus loved, we have a complete picture of the Bethany Trio.

Two miles from Jerusalem by a slope of the Mount of Olives on the Jericho Road, was Bethany. There lived together the two sisters and their brother, an apparently well-to-do family. This is one family that had received Jesus Christ not only into their house but also into their heart. How our Lord and His disciples were encouraged by their loving reception and warm hospitality whenever they passed through en route to Jerusalem.

Now it happened that during the period our Lord was gone from Jerusalem to beyond the River Jordan, Lazarus fell ill. This illness was a serious one, so that a messenger was sent to ask Jesus to come When our Lord received the news He perceived it was another occasion planned of the Father whereby God’s Name would be greatly magnified. He was given the knowledge that this sickness would end in death but as Lord of Life He would raise Lazarus from the dead. This would be a final demonstration of His Messianic mission, that He came not to fulfil the political desires of His countrymen, but to save all mankind from sin and death. Our Lord had before this time raised Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:49) and the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11). Now He was to do it again, a triple confirmation of His Sonship. He purposely delayed coming in order that Lazarus, now stinking after four days, might give a greater testimony of His power.

The disciples who had retreated with Him to beyond Jordan, sensing the danger of returning to the metropolis, tried to dissuade our Lord from going. Thomas, at this point, seemed resigned to their fate. Jesus, nevertheless, encouraged them, that nothing could harm them until their appointed task was done.

The raising of Lazarus is the last straw of Jesus’ acts that breaks the camel’s back of Jewish tolerance. Now they plot to get Him at all costs. Christ must be put to death. Such rejection of the truth is not surprising when we hear what Abraham says to the rich man in hell, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

But, to both dead and living believing, Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life.